In St. Paul, the seasonal changes in temperature, moisture, and humidity levels put strain on foundations. No matter how your home is built, the soil expands and contracts, and the groundwater puts hydrostatic pressure on the foundation wall. As a result, foundations weaken or shift over time, eventually reducing their load-bearing capacity. To restore the strength of your home from the ground up, SafeBasements offers expert foundation repairs in St. Paul. With our patented foundation solutions, including our SafeBase™ Push Pier System, Helical Piers, Wall Anchor System, Waler Wall Support System, and Carbon Fiber Strap System, we will solve your foundation problems. Are you noticing floor cracks, uneven floors, foundation cracks, bowing walls, or foundation settlement? Book our FREE foundation inspection to get an estimate today!
Causes of Foundation Damage in St. Paul Homes
If your home is newly built, it will undergo an initial settlement for 18 to 24 months. After this period, if your foundation is still settling, it’s likely caused by changes in soil conditions and degrading building materials.
Here are the main causes of foundation damage occurring in St. Paul:
1. Damage From Excess Water
St. Paul experiences increasing freeze-thaw cycles and precipitation fluctuations. When normal rainwater accumulates around the foundation walls, it freezes and expands throughout the seasons, putting immense pressure on them. As a result, the hydrostatic pressure from high groundwater levels pushes against the foundation, causing cracks and bowing.
2. Soil Shifting
St. Paul has silty, loam-cultivated soil with a medium water absorption level. Once this soil absorbs moisture, it retains it over time. As a result, the soil expands and presses against the foundation, causing uneven settlement, cracks, tilts, and foundation movements.
3. Soil Erosion
If your home has improper grading or a lack of retaining walls, the water washes away the soil around your foundation. Once the soil is eroded from around your foundation, the foundation will lack support, causing it to settle unevenly, form cracks, and become unstable.
4. Lack of Attention During Construction
During your home’s construction, a lack of attention to proper soil compaction, footings, or foundation type can lead to foundation issues in the future. Additionally, poor construction practices like leaving gaps around the pipes or neglecting waterproofing create entry points for water, leading to foundation damage.
Our qualified foundation technician thoroughly inspects the specific causes affecting your home’s foundation. Schedule a FREE foundation inspection today!
Your Home Needs Foundation Repair If You See These Signs
If you observe signs that interfere with the safety or functionality of your home’s foundation, call our foundation repair experts to fix them.
Here are the common signs of foundation damage that require foundation repair:
1. Drywall Cracks
While hairline cracks can be a normal part of settling, larger diagonal cracks of 5mm to 15mm width near windows, doors, or corners indicate foundation movement. If any cracks widen over time and are bigger than 25mm or lead to stair-step cracks, this indicates foundation problems.
2. Floor Cracks
Cracks in concrete slabs, uneven tile grout, or gaps between wood floorboards signal foundation issues and require immediate professional attention.
3. Uneven Floors
If you feel any dips or slopes in the floor, this may indicate foundation settlement or rotten structural beams. If your floorboard is sagging, squeaking, or bouncing, this could also be a sign of foundation problems.
4. Foundation Cracks
Even small cracks in your foundation walls deserve attention, as they can worsen and may signify deeper problems. Horizontal cracks denote pressure from soil pushing inward, while vertical cracks might indicate settling or movement. If the cracks are near corners, crawl space entrances, or areas with water seepage, they require immediate professional attention.
5. Settled Foundation
Check for widening gaps around exterior doors, windows, or the porch. These gaps indicate a potential foundation settlement. A leaning chimney is also a significant sign of foundation problems and requires immediate attention.
6. Bowing Walls
If there’s noticeable inward bowing in your basement or crawl space walls, it’s important not to ignore these signs. If your basement or crawl space walls are bulging inward, it compromises the structural integrity of your home.
If you notice any of these foundation repair signs, schedule an appointment with us immediately. Our certified foundation repair contractors will help you identify and resolve foundation concerns that save you from costly foundation repairs down the road.
SafeBasements’ Foundation Repair Solutions
To restore your foundation’s strength, here are the foundation repair solutions that we provide:
1. Foundation Crack Repair
Though cracks often start out as just a thin line on your basement walls, they can expand over time and allow water damage. So, if your home is 2 to 3 years old (or more) and you notice multiple cracks on your basement walls, call us right away! For cracked foundation repair in St. Paul, we inspect the cracks and identify the most appropriate solution to repair and address the cause.
2. Foundation Settlement Repair
When the soil around your home is not properly compacted, it creates voids beneath your property that eventually cause your home to sink. Poor construction materials or techniques may also be at fault for your foundation settlement.
We stabilize your home’s foundation using advanced techniques, including SafeBase Helical Piers and SafeBase Push Pier systems. These systems support your foundation by transferring your home’s weight to more stable soil or bedrock, called load-bearing strata. Overall, they permanently increase stability, are cost-effective, and have an easy installation process.
3. Foundation Leak Repair
To fix foundation leaks, we inspect your foundation and determine the most effective solution. We inject either epoxy or poly into the leaking cracks to prevent any further water damage. In some cases, we also install a secondary layer of protection, such as encapsulation or carbon fiber, to cover cracks,
4. Bowed Wall Repair
Bowed walls are a sign of significant structural issues. You may experience this problem because of the soil around your home’s foundation exerting lateral pressure. When dirt absorbs moisture and expands, it constantly puts pressure on basement walls, causing them to bow. For bowed wall repair, we use solutions including SafeBase Carbon Fiber and SafeBase Wall Anchor systems. Our SafeBase Carbon Fiber Strap system is incredibly strong and lightweight. If your walls are cracking or bowing less than 2 inches, we install carbon fiber to reinforce and secure the wall, restore stability, and prevent any further wall movement.
5. Wall Anchor Systems
To fix bowed basement walls, we also use the SafeBase Wall Anchor system, which restores the lateral strength of the wall. In wall anchor system installation, we embed steel brackets on your foundation walls and the ground that surrounds them. Over time, they can straighten the walls using the natural expansion and contraction of the soil.
If you are noticing any foundation issues, schedule an appointment with our certified foundation experts in St. Paul. Our team will examine the root cause of the foundation problem and provide you with repair options and a detailed cost estimate.
Don’t wait for your foundation to become a costly problem!
Let Our Foundation Repair Experts Help You
Our proprietary solutions for foundation repair are easy to install, affordable, and minimally disruptive to your property. All of our patented foundation repair solutions exceed industry-wide product performance standards. Additionally, our team is thoroughly trained to install these solutions:
1. Patented Push Pier System
Our SafeBase™ push pier system is a permanent foundation repair solution that stabilizes foundations by transferring the home’s weight to stable soil. We hydraulically drive push pier sections through a bracket until they reach stable soil. We determine stable soil through load testing of each pier during the installation. If necessary, we can lift a settling foundation back up using hydraulic lift cylinders.
Benefits of our SafeBase™ Push Pier system
- Cost-effective
- Permanent solution
- Load tested
2. Helical Piers
Our SafeBase™ Helical Piers can be installed in all weather conditions, and the installation requires minimal equipment. Our installer-friendly helicals do not require costly and messy excavation and allow concrete to be poured immediately after they’re placed in the ground. Our helical pier also supports the weight of heavy commercial columns and wall loads. Its installation requires screwing the piers into the ground till they reach stable soil, which allows the weight of your home to be transferred from unstable or weak soil to stable soil.
Benefits of our SafeBase™ Helical Pier System
- It can be installed in all weather conditions.
- Extremely versatile and can be installed in otherwise hard-to-access locations
- Quick installation without costly excavation
- Long-term solution
3. Wall Anchor System
Our SafeBase™ Wall Anchor system helps fix bowed basement walls by restoring their lateral strength. It also helps minimize the natural expansion and contraction of the soil, as the anchor can be tightened during dry weather. Our patented wall anchor system can be installed quickly and with minimal mess. These wall anchors attach to a larger earth anchor for better holding capacity.
Benefits of our SafeBase™ Wall Anchor System
- Helps bowed walls straighten over time
- Rigorously engineered and tested
4. Waler Wall Support System
Our SafeBase™ Waler Wall support system works directly with our SafeBase™ Wall Anchor system. The SafeBase™ Waler Wall support system helps to add structural stability to a previously bowed wall.
5. Carbon Fiber Strap System
Our SafeBase™ Carbon Fiber Strap system is the best wall repair solution in St. Paul, MN. Carbon fiber straps prevent your wall from further bowing. This system is installer-friendly and has the strongest bottom-bracket connection in the industry.
Benefits of our SafeBase™ Carbon Fiber Strap System:
- Quick to install
- Strongest bottom brackets in the U.S.
- 8”, 12”, or 24” wide straps provide several spacing options
Looking for more details or a cost estimate for foundation repair? Call us today at 1(800) 430-5851.
Why Choose SafeBasements for Foundation Repair in St. Paul, MN?
Since the 1990s, we have been a trusted foundation repair expert for several reasons, including:
- Repair Accountability: We take 100% foundation repair accountability by executing and completing projects on the given time.
- High-Quality Patented Solutions: All of our patented or proprietary foundation repair solutions are engineered using industry standards and rigorous testing. Almost all of our solutions are quick to install, affordable, and have the best performance, making them the top choices in the market.
- Transparent Pricing: We provide a complete cost breakdown for each repair solution, including the cost of labor, material, and installation.
- Warranty on Repair Solutions: We take pride in our quality workmanship and industry-standard foundation repair solutions. Depending on the type of repair, we offer lifetime competitive warranties. Call us now for more information on our warranty!
Trusted Foundation Repair Company in St. Paul, MN
SafeBasements offers high-quality foundation repair in St. Paul. We are a leading foundation repair company with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Our highest-quality repairs, patented repair solutions, exceptional customer service, and competitive price make us the #1 choice for foundation repair across St. Paul.
We also offer concrete leveling and basement waterproofing services in St. Paul, MN. Contact us today at (800) 430-5851 and schedule a free on-site foundation inspection!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The average foundation repair cost in St. Paul can range from $2,500-$12000. However, your foundation repair cost depends on what type of repair you need and what solutions you use. To get a detailed cost breakdown, schedule our FREE on-site foundation assessment. Call us at (800) 430-5851 today!
On average, foundation repair takes around 2 to 3 days. However, the exact time frame depends on the repair type. All of our repair solutions are efficient, and our skilled teams can provide you with an accurate timeframe after an inspection.
Yes, a residential building permit is a requirement for structural foundation repair in St. Paul.
The best repair method depends on the type of foundation problem. We often observe settlement issues in St. Paul homes, so installing steel push piers or helical piers is the best long-term solution to stabilize the foundation.
Yes, SafeBasements provides a lifetime transferable warranty on all our main foundation repair services in St. Paul. For more details, call us today!